1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and more specifically to a computer implemented method, system, and computer usable program code for dynamically updating barcode data that reflects a current component configuration of the data processing system when the configuration of the data processing system changes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today, physical inventory of computers and other types of electronic equipment is typically limited to finding a serial number on the outside of an enclosure for the electronic device. In general, enclosures for these electronic devices cost a fraction of the components that make up the “heart” of these electronic devices. For example, an enclosure for an electronic device may only cost $40.00, whereas components inside the enclosure, such as central processing units (CPUs), memory devices, and hard disk drives, may cost thousands of dollars. So ultimately, manufacturers, value add business partners, and end customers alike may want to physically inventory the expensive components inside the enclosure. However, manufacturers, value add business partners, and end customers may not be able to afford the cost, time, and inconvenience of taking the electronic devices apart to physically inventory the expensive components inside the enclosure.
For example, a value add business partner for a manufacturer may remove a smaller hard disk drive and install a larger hard disk drive in 100 blade servers before sending the blade servers to an end customer. A quality control person at the value add business may want to validate that the work of removing and installing the hard disk drives in the 100 blade servers has been performed correctly, but does not have the time or resources to take each blade server apart for verification purposes. In a complex blade server configuration, taking a blade server apart and then reconnecting it may introduce problems, such as, for example, bent pins between layers of components within the blade. Typically, once blade servers are assembled and tested, value add business partners do not want to disassemble the blade servers because the blade servers will have to go back through the testing process, among other things. Similarly, when the end customer receives shipment of the 100 blade servers from the value add business partner, the end customer may want an easy, quick way to verify that the hardware and software components in the blade servers have been correctly built-to-order before putting the blade servers into service within a data center.